To the editor:
This week, House finished its 2013-2014 early after passing our bonding bill, second tax bill, and supplemental budget bill. All three of these bills will have a very positive impact on our district.
One key project that would receive funding in the bonding bill is the Sandstone Hospital Campus. Along with $250,000 in local funds, the $200,000 in state funding will serve as a catalyst for private funding in excess of $20 million. Not only will the new hospital provide high quality health care for the entire region, the campus will also create dozens of jobs for people in the construction phase and after completion of the project. The bonding also provided a little over $27,000 for improvements at Pine Tech.
The second tax bill will provide $103 million in additional tax cuts, including provisions I authored that will provide increased refunds to homeowners, renters, farmers, and businesses. We came to the Capitol this session with a $1.2 billion surplus, and this bill makes sure that $550 million of that surplus went toward reducing taxes for the Minnesotans who helped create that surplus.
The Supplemental Budget Bill makes crucial investments in our local economies. Last session, we provided a rate increase for nursing home workers for the first time in years. This session, we’re doing the same for our long term care workers, like those in group homes. We’re investing in regional initiative foundations and workforce development to make sure workers can get the right skills that businesses are looking for in our rural communities. Thanks to $20 million in broadband internet grants, rural areas will also be able to expand their high speed internet access so new businesses have the resource they need to create jobs and drive our economy forward.
I’m happy to see us wrap up early after a session focused on Greater Minnesota.
Tim Faust